BCITO - Building and Construction ITO

Helping you build your career

Being qualified in our industry is all about being recognised for the skills that you bring to the job. We tend to talk about our qualifications as being competency based – what we mean is that at the completion of your qualification you will be competent to perform as a qualified tradesmen in your specific area. The qualification is simply the rubber stamp to say to everyone – yes I can do the job.

The BCITO will allocate you with a Training Advisor who will manage your progress through the qualification. All of our Training Advisors are tradesmen who are committed to helping people like you progress through to achieving your qualification. They are more than just assessing your competence – they are advising and coaching you as to the best way to approach your tasks and workload and with your employer they make up what we call the coaching team.

Completing your qualification will not be easy and there may be times when you simply want to give up. At the BCITO we see so many young people achieving their qualifications and going on to live their dreams that we encourage you to always stay focussed and keep striving for your goals. A qualification with the BCITO is not the end goal – it is an important step in your journey to career and personal satisfaction.

What apprenticeships are right for you?

An apprentice is somebody who works under a skilled professional in order to learn a trade and become qualified in it. There are apprenticeships in almost every different area of the building and construction industry.

Which apprenticeship is right for you will depend on your interests, your experience and the opportunities in your region.

Apprenticeships are based on competency – it’s all about learning on the job and demonstrating you have the knowledge and skill to complete a task. This means apprenticeships take no more or less time than it takes for you to show you can demonstrate your skill to a commercial standard.

What are my next steps?

The key step is to find an employer who is prepared to take you on as an Apprentice.

Once you have approval from your employer to begin an apprenticeship please contact the BCITO on 0800 422 486. We will arrange for a BCITO representative to visit you and your employer. The representative will explain how the apprenticeship works and complete the necessary paperwork to get you started.

Your employer and the BCITO will support you through your apprenticeship. The practical training will be completed on the job each day, and your Training Advisor will set a training plan for you which will give guidance about completing your theory work.

Your BCITO Training Advisor will assess both your theory and practical work, and work with your boss to ensure you’re getting the right experience.

Is there any help with the theory?
Your Training Advisor will work with you and your employer to ensure you are on track. BCITO also arranges classroom-style learning for some qualifications, where you can get help with aspects of your learning.

Where can I find more information?

• Contact your local BCITO representative. If you’re not sure who this is give us a call on 0800 4 BCITO (0800 422 486) and we can help you out.
• www.nzqa.govt.nz contains detailed information on the unit standards need to be completed in each qualification.